Stories from Thursday, September 6, 2007

Funeral services for Teresa Waterbury Wright, 53, who died Monday, will be 11 a.m. Friday at Spring Hill Funeral Home in Nashville. Burial will follow at Spring Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. today.

"We are very excited that Fred Thompson is going to run for President," said Bedford County Republican Women's Club (BCWRC) President Gail Binion upon the announcement last night by Thompson, throwing his hat into the political arena for the bid of President of the United States...

With obesity becoming a growing concern for people across the country, various weight loss methods like pills, diets and exercise programs are becoming more and more popular. Or you can try what Jason Bliss is doing -- walk across the country. Bliss, or Jaybo as his friends call him, has seen hard times as of late, suffering from deep depression following the collapse of his marriage, as well as declaring bankruptcy due to those problems. ...

United Way of Bedford County will hold a campaign kickoff breakfast Tuesday morning to mark the ceremonial start of the fall fund-raising campaign. The breakfast will begin 7:30 a.m. at the Blue Ribbon Circle on the Celebration grounds, with a brief program at 7:50. Representatives of two United Way-supported agencies will speak, and the fund-raising goal for this fall's campaign will be announced...

Checks, golf clubs and shoes and compact discs were taken from a car in a parking lot near Madison Street on Aug. 28, police were told. Brock Horner of Shelbyville reported the theft Tuesday. The following persons were arrested since Tuesday by the Shelbyville Police Department, Bedford County Sheriff's Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol or 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force and processed through Bedford County Jail. ...

U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon blasted a court's decision to allow Mexican trucks to operate in the United States, saying the decision threatened highway safety and U.S. jobs. Citing oversight concerns, Public Citizen and other groups challenged the Department of Transportation's program to allow Mexican trucking companies to conduct long-haul, cross-border operations. An appeal court rejected the challenge on Friday, setting the pilot program's wheels in motion...

Coming off their most successful year since joining Division I, Middle Tennessee's Blue Raiders are primed and ready for the 2007 season. The defending co-Sun Belt champions will look to build off last season's success and trip to the Motor City Bowl...

The Vanderbilt Commodores open their with something to prove and a giant-sized chip on their shoulders after experts have once again predicted that they will be at or very near the bottom of the Southeastern Conference standings despite having one of the most talented rosters of returning players since their last winning season in 1982...

Tennessee opened up their season with an embarrassing 45-31 loss at the hands of a California team they blistered the year before in Knoxville. But, all is not lost in Knoxville. The game had zero bearing on Southeastern Conference play and national respect...

Sutton Jones stroked a 38 to lead Webb to a quad-match victory at River Bend Country Club. The Feet totaled a 164. Cascade followed at 182. Eagleville placed third with a 183. Community scored a 223. Sean Kim's 41, Blake Cocanougher's 42 and Steven Barton's 43 contributed to Webb's winning effort...

If Cascade wants another shot at bringing home their first-ever region title, they must take care of business for nine straight weeks in 5-A competition, starting this Friday night at McEwen. Last week the Champions knocked off Moore County 28-0 in their only non-region affair of the season...

For many schools, going 9-4 overall and 5-3 in the conference is considered a successful season. Not particularly in Knoxville, although coming off a 5-6 season, it was a vast improvement. Tennessee showed some promise as they took national champion Florida and Sugar Bowl champion LSU down to the wire before being defeated. The season ended on a sour note as a costly fumble contributed to Penn State downing the Volunteers 20-10 in the Outback Bowl...

Coach Johnnie Frost and his Community Vikings learned some very valuable lessons in their week one loss. Those experiences have been the subject of intense scrutiny and preparation for their first-ever home varsity affair against Region 5-A foe Nashville Christian on Friday night...